Barren, Cramped Cages

Life for America's egg-laying hens

American egg factory farms cram more than 90 percent of the country's 280 million egg-laying hens into barren cages so small the birds can't even spread their wings.

Each bird has less space than a sheet of paper on which to spend her entire life. Virtually unable to move, they can't do many things that are important for their wellbeing, like perch, nest, or dust bathe.

The science proves[PDF] what common sense already told us: that animals confined in such an extreme way endure constant suffering. And studies[PDF] also show that not confining animals in cages may also improve food safety and sustainability.

The HSUS has also led the charge to reform America's egg industry for many years, resulting in important progress toward better conditions. Here's a quick look at some of our groundbreaking work to help egg-laying hens:

In 2008, The HSUS was the primary sponsor of California's Proposition 2, the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, which passed by a landslide 63.5% vote, requiring that all California egg producers phase out their use of battery cages. (The law also banned other similarly restrictive devices for other farm animals.)

The HSUS then spearheaded another successful effort in California, resulting in a law requiring all whole eggs sold statewide—regardless of where they're produced—to be produced in compliance with Prop 2 by 2015.

In 2011, The HSUS, in conjunction with the United Egg Producers (the egg industry's trade association), jointly drafted a federal bill that, if passed into law, would require that every U.S. egg producer confining birds in cages double the space per hen and add "environmental enrichments" like perches, scratching areas, and nesting areas to improve the birds' welfare. The law would also require that every egg carton sold in the country contain information about how the eggs were produced, such as "eggs from caged hens."

Schools

According to the Sustainable Endowments Institute, 64 percent of universities are using cage-free eggs—hundreds of them after working with The HSUS. They include Le Cordon Bleu culinary institutes, University of Florida, UCLA, Harvard, Princeton, and many more.

Membership

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to The Humane Society of the United States are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The HSUS's tax identification number is 53-0225390.